Little Flower |Scaramouche| ✓

◤XXXII |Slight Hindrance|

"Well, Maram... if you would please undo the magic that's keeping the heirs inside me and release them from my artificial body now that would be really amazing," (Y/n) quickly got straight to the point. Besides her, Scaramouche nodded in agreement causing the ghost god's brows to furrow as he shook his head.

"As much as I would like to do that... There's a slight problem. That being that the actual souls and memories of each heir will need a new host, or in other words a new body, to inhabit once they're released from your body." Oh, that's right. She completely forgot about that part.

Nervously chuckling, the girl scratched the back of her head as the realisation hit her.

"Y-yup! How r-right you are, Maram! I totally, definitely, certainly, for sure did not forget about that," she gave him a thumbs up. "Though... uh, there is another slight problem with that and that's well... Scara and I didn't have the opportunity to search the palace for the room full of containers. Dottore would be the one with the knowledge of the room's location, but as you can see," she gestured to the mangled body on the balcony. "He's kinda... dead. I may or may not have killed him, but that's not important. Anyways, since Dottore is dead I'm not sure we can really get you to look through his memories—"

"As long as the person still has... er, their head fully intact, then it should be no problem for me to flip through his memories," Maram interrupted the girl before she could continue on with her ramblings. (Y/n) stared at him with her mouth wide open before she promptly closed it and cleared her throat as if it would suddenly erase the past few moments in which she had been gaping at the ghost boy in surprise. "Seeing as... you didn't completely destroy and obliterate Dottore when you killed him, I'll make this process easy for you to let you know once I find where the room is." Floating over towards the man's bloody body, Maram lightly pressed his translucent fingertips to the doctor's forehead and began looking through the mad man's head.

Whilst Maram was busy with that, (Y/n) let out a sigh and glanced over at Scaramouche. It was only now that she noticed that the gaping hole in his chest was covered with vines holding together his (quite literally) broken heart. Residue from Pierro's abyss magic still lingered around his wound, but seeing this made her question how he was still alive in this state.

"Hey little shorty, uh... explain how tying vines around your heart and connecting it to the rest of your body is keeping you alive right now...? I'm confused as to how... I don't like saying this but, how are you not dead already?" Scaramouche raised a brow at her question. Well, he had to tell her at one point. His secret couldn't be kept hidden until he was buried six feet under anyways.

"You see... I'm not actually human. I'm merely a puppet that was given a heart."

"Ohhh... so that explains why you're always so cold. I thought it was because of the winter weather in Snezhnaya, but guess I was wrong," (Y/n) shrugged. Well, Scaramouche certainly didn't expect this sort of reaction from the girl but he was fine with that as she was quite laid back most of the time.

"That's it?" he scoffed. "I expected you to be dramatic about it like you are with other things."

"OH MY ARCHONS YOU'RE NOT HUMAN????" She gasped and let out a failed high pitch scream which hurt her vocal cords causing her to cough from the rough feeling she experienced in her throat from trying to reach a pitch that was not within her range. "Ack... remind me never to attempt that ever again." Scaramouche simply snickered at her acting.

"Ahem..." Maram quietly cleared his throat as he glided back over to the duo. "The room is in the basement of Zapolyarny Palace where a plethora of laboratory rooms are. I can show you the way down there as Dottore frequented that er... place a lot when he was still alive."

Right as the girl opened her mouth to answer the phantom, Kuragari curtly interrupted, raising his hand slightly in the air.

"Yuhua, Taisiya, Bryn and I can go down and retrieve the containers. It would be better for (Y/n) and Scaramouche to find a... more private place where we could separate the heirs. Since the other archons are here as well it would be wise to invite them and allow them to reunite with their children once the whole process is over," the chief beckoned for his right hands to follow his lead. "Maram, if you would, please show us the way."

Shaking his head, Maram declined and simply floated over to the group.

"It's best if I stay behind with these two. I can easily transfer the location of the room into your memory if you'll allow me to." It took Kuragari a second to nod his head, allowing Maram to lightly touch his fingers against the lavender haired boy's forehead. Once the process was complete, Kuragari left with his brigade in search of the containers which held the bodies of the heirs.

"While we're waiting for Kuragari and the others to return," (Y/n) spoke up. "Maram, would it be possible for me to... wish for Scara to get a new heart?" Hopefulness was clearly present in the girl's voice and Maram could see the yearning in her heterochromatic eyes. Unfortunately with a long sigh, the ghost boy had to break the bad news to the both of them.

"If I could grant any and every wish I received, then I wouldn't be dead right now wandering the Dark Sea as a ghost. I'm unable to fulfill any wishes pertaining to bringing back the dead or preventing someone from dying otherwise people would seek out my blessing a lot more. I can, however, bring spirits to the living realm for a short period of time if one were to wish it. I'm sorry I can't help you..." Disappointed by this, the girl shook her head signaling that Maram couldn't help it. It was out of his control after all.

"Sorry, Mouche..." She offered the indigo haired boy a sad smile as he shook his head. "Well... before we head out to find a place, there's something I wanted to grab." (Y/n) walked back onto the balcony and stared at the pile of clothes the Tsaritsa once wore before spotting the thing she was looking for. The chess piece made of pure cryo had long since fallen to the ground after the death of Snezhnaya's queen. Picking up the tiny item, the girl examined it, curious as to why it appeared after the Tsaritsa died.

"What are you doing?" Scaramouche called from inside.

"This chess piece appeared when Tsaritsa died. What exactly is this?" (Y/n) showed the object in her hands to Maram and Scaramouche as she went back inside. "It feels cold just like a piece of ice."

"If I'm not mistaken, that's called a 'gnosis' and it's used as a sort of 'crown' that proves the Tsaritsa was the rightful queen to Snezhnaya. Now that she's dead, a new ruler will have to be selected," Maram carefully took a closer look at the chess piece from the artificial heir. "It's best if you keep it safe for now until we figure out what to do with it when we've met with the other archons."

"Speaking of which... How about we head over to the gardens near the front of Zapolyarny Palace? It's secluded enough where we can safely uncombine the heirs, but where it won't be a pain to get to. Little shortie, you know where I'm talking about, right?"

Rolling his eyes, Scaramouche said, "Of course I do. If that's the place then we should head there now and gather the archons. I'll... I'll stay back while you do that. It would be more appropriate if an archon spoke to other archons." He couldn't bear to think about having to see the Raiden Shogun again. Scaramouche knew that once her gaze was set upon him, he'd be dead. No exceptions and so, he'd delay that reunion as long as possible.

"Anything for you shortie," (Y/n) grinned. She grabbed his arm gently and tugged him towards the stairs while beckoning for Maram to follow. Then an idea popped into her head and she spun around instead heading towards the balcony. "I hope you don't mind if I carry you down there like a bride!" And with that, she used what was left of Siggy's anemo to quickly get to their destination whilst Maram trailed behind trying not to laugh at the duo in front of him.